Blashford Lakes, new Forest

 Friday 22 December

A few of the hundreds of Pintail Anas acuta

Early departure with Richard Osman to spend the morning in the New Forest at Blashford Lakes reserve.  Dry but still windy and Sun trying t make an appearance through the broken cloud. On site at Ibsley Water and much good birding including Firecrest, Kingfisher, Great White Egret and Ring-necked Duck.  The lake was still very full covering all the islands and water quite choppy but still holding hundreds of Shoveler, Wigeon and Pintail plus scores of Tufted Duck, Mallard and Teal.  Even a single Goldeneye but only a couple of Great Crested Grebes to accompany the dozen or so Cormorants.  Two Great White Egrets and a single Heron plus scores of Coot made up the rest of the birds.  On the neighbouring land just the one Blackbird and a couple of Egyptian Geese.

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

Leaving the water to make our way across the road to the man reserve we encountered Great and Blue Tits, Chaffinch and Robin as we made our way towards Ivy North Hide.  Approaching the final path a small flock of Long-tailed Tits in the trees in front and then the first sight of the water which held a good number of ducks, mainly Wigeon and Gadwall but also both Mallard and Teal.  A few basking Cormorant and Black-headed Gulls as a couple of Woodpigeons flew over.

Working our way through the trees to the Woodland Hide we stopped to watch the large flock of feeding Siskins at the tree tops and also noted a handful of Lesser Redpoll.  Once inside the hide, initially very quiet until the Blue and Great Tits arrived to feed along with Goldfinches, Chaffinches and Greenfinches.  A couple of Dunnock were foraging on the ground where they were joined by a male Blackbird.

As soon to the Ivy South Hide passing the water on our right which held a score of Mallard.  On the lake itself many Wigeon and Gadwall along with Mallard, Teal and a pair of Great Crested Grebe.  A Kingfisher flashed past the hide and then time to also note both more Cormorants and Black-headed Gulls.

Shoveler Anas clypeata and Wigeon Anas penelope

Time to move on but having returned to the car we took a short walk across the road to the track leading away to the main road and Goosander Hide.  The, atop the small rise, we stopped at the bench and enjoyed listening to the calling Firecrests before catching a very brief glimpse as one flew away to  neighbouring pine tree.  Driving down to the house at the bottom of Ellingham Drove, first a handful of Carrion Crow followed by the first of two Magpies to be seen as a Song Thrush crossed the road in front of us and then a couple of Jackdaws.  Up to ten Pied Wagtails feeding in the last field on the left and on the roofs of the houses in front a large flock of Feral Pigeons and a couple of Starlings.

Male Tufted Ducks Aythya fuligula

Our final stop was near the ford at the north-eastern corner of Poulner lake where we left the car to take the footpath alongside the southern shore of Linbrook East Lake.    Mute Swans, Wigeon, Gadwall and Mallard as we made our way tot he far end to find the small flock of Tufted Duck and their, in their midst, the lone male Ring-necked Duck that appeared a few days earlier and has now been seen by many local birders.

Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

Birds seen:

Mute Swan, Egyptian Goose, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Pintail, Pochard, Ring-necked Duck, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Great White Egret, Heron, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Firecrest, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll.

More Pintails Anas acuta on Ibsley water

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